Lawns grow ‘greener, thicker and stronger’ with kitchen scrap item that works like ‘magic’

Lawns are incredibly hard to maintain, however, any beautifully green lawn has one thing it relies on - fertiliser.

By Angela Patrone, Lifestyle Reporter

Human palm touching lawn grass low angle view

Lawns grow ‘greener, thicker and stronger’ with kitchen scrap item that works like ‘magic’ (Image: Getty)

Lawns really are the envy of most gardens as many strive to achieve lush deep green grass, particularly in the summer months.

Fertiliser is not just about making your grass grow, it’s also about nurturing an area that can withstand the tests of nature and time. 

A robust lawn is your first defence against pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. 

According to the specialists at The Lawn Squad, coffee isn't just a morning essential for people, it’s also an “essential” for lawns.

They said: “Nitrogen-rich coffee grounds can be sprinkled on the lawn or mixed with water (about half a pound of coffee grounds to five gallons of water) to create a nutrient-packed lawn tonic."

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High angle shot of coffee above lawn

Used coffee grounds can be used to fertilise lawns (Image: Getty)

The lawn pros at Turf Technologies agreed: “Not only can coffee revitalise us in the morning, it can also revitalise our lawns. 

“For us, it’s the caffeine that does the magic. For your lawn, it’s the minerals coffee contains - nitrogen and phosphorus - that does the magic.”

It isn’t the caffeine that stimulates healthy grass growth, but rather the nitrogen, phosphorus and trace minerals that coffee grounds contain.

There are quite a few benefits when it comes to using coffee grounds on your lawn, one of which being unlike synthetic fertiliser, where incorrect application can have disastrous effects like burning the lawn or contaminating water via runoff, “coffee grounds have no such adverse effects”.

Earth worm crawling in the lawn

Worms eat the coffee grounds and in return aerate the lawn with their castings (Image: Getty)

They are also slow-release fertilisers, the opposite of most synthetic products. The experts explained: “This allows your lawn to benefit from the nutrients for a longer period of time, ensuring greener, thicker and stronger turf for longer.”

What’s more, worms love coffee grounds. They eat the grounds and in return aerate the lawn with their castings, which breaks up the soil (aerates) and further stimulates lawn growth. 

One way to apply coffee grounds to lawns is to simply throw them out there and let them lay where they fall. 

The worms will work at them to break them up or they’ll eventually get spread when you mow.

Rake or sweep it out lightly so there aren’t any deep piles on the grass. You can also use a bucket with holes punched through the bottom or a spreader to distribute the grounds.

Reapply the coffee ground lawn fertiliser every month or two after that to promote a thick, green turf.

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